I loved superheroes as a boy and I guess everyone did. Why? Because superheroes are allowed to punch. Their fury is righteous. The words of the comic books spoke to me, I would read by myself, in the backseat of the car while it was parked in the driveway. I felt like I was safe from parents, siblings and super-villains. It was at that time when I was learning the rules of this society oriented world. Superheroes explained the world to me at the same time it was being explained to me by my uncles, coaches, neighbours and men on the screens. FIGHT! Do not cry! Be Brave!
Life is pain and the only way to avoid that pain is to scream and punch in the face.
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The best defence against the humanly soft feelings is offence. Just attack! Do not share your dreams, feelings or joys with anyone. Do not trust anyone with your soft side. Hide this softness behind bars. Life is pain and the only option you have is to avoid loss and regret, never love or risk happiness in the first place.
Superheroes are meant to speak only two languages: violence and rage. These lessons have been passed down for generations. They are meant to make us strong and masculine. Because strength without vulnerability is safety.
But this narrow creed carves hollows inside you, where loneliness festers.And so I learned that a hero's mask must be made of steel in order to fight against affection, care and kindness. To feel is to weaken, to soften is to give up. So, watch for threats, be prepared and ready to strike. Never let them see you bleed.
Yet even the bravest warrior must retreat into solitude. Deconstruct! Behind every victory lies the echo of a lonely child seeking refuge. Every late night patrolling, every (imaginative) rescue feels less like heroism and more like proclaimed punishment. Punishment for daring to hope. Because to save others, you need to be heartless. You are not allowed to desire for connection, your hopes and dreams should stay hidden till you breath your last.
Yet, beneath the armour, there exist an organ which is more than a pumping machine: A HEART! It still yearns for kindness, a gentle word, a shoulder to lean on. Superheroes, too, need emotional support. They, too, need a quiet space where their guard can come down, where tears are not a sign of weakness but of life lived fully. Imagine 'Batman' from the 'Dark Knight' pausing to share a simple meal, letting his laughter take over his coolness and tasting the comfort of vulnerability. In that pause, genuine strength is reborn.
Let the superman feel because in the end, we are all superheroes in our own stories, battling with harshness of life. While some trials may demand solidarity where you have to fight your own battle, but most battles are meant to be shared. For true heroism lies not in standing alone, but in standing together.
As John Donne said, "No man is an island entire of itself."
Peace 🕊️